On My Way to Antarctica, a Stop in Rio

Viva Rio!

Rio De Janeiro is the former capital and 2nd largest city of Brazil,chief Brazilian port and is famous as a tourist attraction.

After 24 hours of fly and wait time, I arrived in Rio. It was about 80 degrees and I was exhausted, hot and my legs were itching me. I met up with the couple that I would be going to the hotel with and the driver.

I asked them to wait while I ran to the ladies room to remove my surgical stockings. They were so gracious and understanding my guilt about delaying their arrival to the comforts of a hotel quickly dissappeared.

We got in the van and the tour guide began telling us about all the individual tours available to us during our two days in Rio.

I asked her about combining them into a 1 day private tour. She said she could do that for a minimum of 4 people. I negotiated the price and asked the couple if they were in and they said Yes and were happy to be included.

My friend was meeting us at the hotel and I knew she would go with us. So the next day bright and early we were off to do Rio.

I was thrilled to visit the huge 125 foot statue of Christ the Redeemer that sits on the top of Corcovado mountain. I felt it was special and important that I go there this year as I relayed his message of redemption during the year 3 times.

We took a cable car to Sugar Loaf Mountain. It is located on the mouth of the Guanabere Bay. Rising 1,299 feet it appears to be in the shape of a mound of refined sugar. This famous mountain is reached by a cable car traveling 1,200 feet high, an experience I will never forget; looking down at Rio from the Sugar Loaf is one of the most spectacular sights in this world. The shape of the mountain was copied in the early days as a manner of loading sugar on the vehicles and taking the sugar to market. We also saw monkeys on the ride up.

When a Portuguese captain sailed into Guanabara Bay in January 1502, he thought he was at the mouth of a great river. Hence the name: “River of January.

We went to the Candelaria Church where in July 23, 1993 eight adolescents were massacred by the police. The church is known around Rio de Janeiro for being a makeshift home to perhaps hundreds of homeless children, many of whom are involved with the drugs and prostitution.

The church's personnel provides food, shelter, education and religious advice to as many of these children as possible. The Brazilian police keep a constant vigil on the church's surroundings. To us it was a beautiful church with a few woman and children begging outside.

We saw many old and modern churches. The most modern is the Cathedral Metropolitan. It is in the shape of a tent and is all glass, standing 246 feet high and has a standing-room capacity of 20,000 people.

The Opera House was built in 1817 and is now under reconstruction. With so many other things to do in Rio the operas better be fantastic; if they want an audience.

Flamengo Park is alive with people in all types of sport gear. It is the largest leisure park in Rio. The people are dedicated to keeping their bodies fit. There is also a WWII memorial.

The Copacabana Hotel is very elegant. But, it is across a many laned street from the beach. It was once on the beach, but a promenade or thoroughfare was put in between the hotel and the beach. Our hotel was nice and on the beach; I liked that better.

The rich people moved down for the tops of the mountains to the beaches of Rio many years ago. They left their beautiful homes with views to the poor people.

Copacabana, Ipanema and Lebion beaches are occupied by people who want to be seen and people who want to see them. There is not much water activity. They have wonderful sand ball games and beautiful people. The cocanut drinks are heavenly.

The Carnival was not in season, but we went to where the Carnval Dancers are staged and judged. There is a contest each year and the competition is fearce. Before the end of one carnival the people are working on the next one. The air of exuberance is pervasive.

Cariocas are fun-loving people, embracing the entire world with their vibrant rhythms. The costumes are a work of art and I tried one on.

We had lunch downtown in a Brazilian local restaurant (called a Churrascaria. All the food is brought to your table on large skewers. The meat is carved for you and it was hot, cooked just right and very tasty. The vegtables were also on skewers and served in the same manner. You had only to look in the direction of the waiter and the skewers appeared tempting you further.

The city’s mosaic streets meander along a spectacular beachfront and its buildings are molded around the foothills.

During the day the four of us shared many of lifes experiences. The couple with us were from the south and were married over 47 years. They were so gentle and respectful of themselves, each other and everyone else. I wistfully hoped that is how my husband and I would have been if we were still together physically.

After 17 years of marriage they have one child that they adopted when he was 3 years old. However, they knew him longer, because he was a foster child in her mother's home. The boy is now a man, husband, father and son. They are now proud parents and doting grandparents.

They love and enjoy every moment of life. How loving, gracious and open they were to take the risk of adoption.

Brazil is suppossed to be dangerous, but we did not find it to be so. If you walk around in expensive jewelery and furs; you may have a problem. I would leave all that home.

The people want you to enjoy Brazil as much as they do. They love to exercise, dance, shop, dress and enjoy the sunny day, warm water, lovely sand, food, wine and each other.